High Desert Chorale forming up

Sisters Country singers have a chance to have a lot of fun and share their talents at the same time. Irene Liden is preparing to begin rehearsals for the High Desert Chorale's free May 22 and 24 performances at Sisters Community Church.

Prospective singers are invited to come to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Sisters at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, January 26, sit down with the section they want to sing in, and have at it. No auditions and no musical background is necessary; the chorale is open to sopranos, altos, tenors, basses - and contraltos, counter tenors, and bassos.

Neither are there any age restrictions. There are a lot of gray-haired singers in the chorale, but they may have more time on their hands than "youngsters." If you're a frustrated alto with three beautiful children - and you really want to sing - call grandma and grandpa and ask them to share their talents with the kids on Monday nights so you can share yours with the chorale.

This season's repertoire is going to contain a variety of pieces. There will be a Memorial Day medley with such numbers as "This is My Country," and maybe "Yankee-Doodle Dandy," plus a variety of musical theater pieces such as "Phantom of the Opera." Over the years the chorale has been performing in Sisters, spiritual and gospel music has become a favorite, so there'll be a few numbers in that area as well.

Paul Bennett, well-known local artist and wonderful tenor, has been singing with the chorale for two years and feels this way about how he shares his talent: "Choir members come from a wide range of musical backgrounds. What we have most in common, however, is that we hold music close to our hearts. Singing together is an expression of that love and, though it takes work to learn all the parts, once it all comes together it can be a deeply satisfying experience. Irene is fun to work with and brings a rich musical background to share. We're quite fortunate to have such talent in our little town of Sisters."